Researcher Sees Growth for Satellite, But Even More for HD Radio

In four years, satellite radio will have 39 million subscribers, and HD Radio will have 30 million adopters.

That’s the outlook from a research company, Parks Associates, which put out a report about “next-generation radio.”

“The radio space is experiencing a major shift in how audio content is consumed, sold and transmitted to consumers, creating significant growth in the adoption of satellite and HD Radio over the next five years,” it stated. It sees total satellite listenership increasing from 20.5 million in 2008 to 39 million by 2012; HD Radio adoption will also increase from 4.2 million to 30 million.

It quoted Research Analyst Chris Roden saying, “Most satellite radio subscribers use the service in their vehicle. Conversely, HD Radio owners view the product as similar to other CE devices such as DVD players and home networks. These consumers are more likely to listen to the service at home.”